2025 Onboarding: Solve your Swag Challenge with Sustainable Welcome Kits
Set new hires up to thrive with clarity, community, and purpose.
As Fall 2025 approaches, organizations are preparing for another hiring wave. But onboarding today is more than paperwork it’s your brand in action. The way you welcome employees sets the tone for retention, engagement, and alignment with company values.
In this guide, we explore:
Why onboarding matters more than ever
Core principles for impactful onboarding
Real-world inspiration from Export Development Canada (EDC)
A phased onboarding strategy
How welcome kits reinforce your values
Why Onboarding Matters in 2025
Onboarding is a strategic moment that shapes an employee's experience from day one:
First impressions stick: Glassdoor reports 91% of employees feel a stronger connection after good onboarding. Yet Gallup finds only 12% think their employer does onboarding well.
Show your values, don’t just tell them: Early experiences must reflect your mission, not just mention it.
Hybrid work is here to stay: Onboarding must support remote, hybrid, and flex work cultures while reinforcing ESG and people-first priorities.
Four Principles of Effective Onboarding
1. Lead With and Live Your Values
Every touchpoint should embody your culture from your onboarding schedule to your welcome swag. What you do matters more than what you say.
2. Celebrate Individual Strengths
Research from MIT Sloan shows onboarding that focuses on new hires' personal strengths (vs. company identity) lowers turnover by 32% and boosts performance.
3. Create Belonging Through Connection
Employee buddy programs, peer check-ins, and informal virtual events are proven to build connection, especially for remote or hybrid hires.
4. Pace the Journey
According to FlairHR, 86% of new hires decide to stay or leave within the first six months. Avoid compressing onboarding. Spread it out to foster confidence, clarity, and belonging.
Employee Onboarding Case Study: Export Development Canada (EDC)
A standout example of thoughtful onboarding comes from Ethical Swag's collaboration with Export Development Canada (EDC).
As a purpose-driven Crown corp, EDC reinforces its mission from day one. With Ethical Swag, they:
Delivered sustainable welcome kits to hybrid staff featuring branded, Canadian-made items
Used carbon-neutral fulfillment and community nonprofit partnerships for kit assembly
Included items like drinkware, notebooks, and wellness goods each curated to reflect care and company culture
These kits weren’t just gifts they were statements of inclusion, impact, and intentionality.
Read the full EDC Case Study
Step-by-Step Fall 2025 Onboarding Plan
Step 1: Before Day One
Send a personalized welcome email with first-week details, team intros, and culture cues
Share a digital guide, welcome video, or branded content that aligns with your values
Step 2: The First Week
Kick off with a culture session focused on your mission, not just the org chart
Invite reflection on new hires’ personal strengths and how they can bring them to their role
Pair each hire with a peer ambassador or onboarding buddy
Step 3: The First 90 Days
Hold 1:1 check-ins at 2, 6, and 12 weeks
Build in low-pressure connection moments: virtual coffee, team project, or shared lunch
Wrap up onboarding with a growth-focused check-in and path forward
Welcome Kits That Reinforce Your Brand
Ethical Swag welcome kits are designed to make values tangible:
Locally sourced & ethically made items
Personal touches like handwritten notes, QR code intros, or multilingual messaging
Sustainable packaging and carbon-neutral delivery
Whether it’s a branded journal, Canadian-made drinkware, or artisan self-care, each kit helps new hires feel seen and supported.
Timeline: Fall 2025 Onboarding Rollout
Pro tip: Start early to lock in sustainable suppliers, personalize the experience, and avoid last-minute rushes.
Why Partner with Ethical Swag?
We make onboarding more than a checklist. We help it become a cultural moment.
Curated welcome kits that reflect your mission
Sustainable sourcing + community-forward fulfillment
Strategic support for sequencing, engagement, and design